Before the Colors Run Out

Being mid term time, the past two weeks or so have been super busy and packed! Not only with work but some pretty fun times too! Recently we had our fall break which gave us a Friday off. Unfortunately since Rhode Island is still a good drive and with rugby season in full swing I decided to stay on campus to get a jump start on school work. To my disadvantage I got the annual "mid-term week and colder weather" cold which I spent the whole weekend fighting off. Don't think I let that stop myself , my friends and I actually took a field trip to go visit the Shelburne Museum since the majority of us had never been! The museum is massive and is basically a large, touring icon of Vermont filled with historical artifacts and structures. It is an interactive museum so you do have a bit of walking to do!

(Q, Pointy, Suze and I heading back to grammar school)

An interactive museum, this gem of Shelburne took you back in time through the history of Vermont. From a blacksmith shop to a printing press to historic bridges and buildings, the Shelburne Museum has it all! It was a great trip to get off campus for a bit during the break on a gorgeous fall day. On our way out we happened upon the carousal they had which is over 90 years old, naturally we had to embrace our inner child before we left!

Also in the past two weeks I was able to go Sea Kayaking with the SMC Wilderness Program. I have never been and getting to kayak through Lake Champlain especially this time of year was beautiful. The colors in the mountains were unbelievable but a bright sunny day out on the water made for a perfect Sunday. I had never been kayaking other than just paddling around on the ocean at home and using the kayak as an anchor to jump off of. It was a great experience and I wish I hadn't waited until my junior year to do it. Here's some pictures of the trips:

Kayaks for the Wilderness Program

Great day with these goons!

(Q and I embracing our inner child)

I would absolutely recommend getting involved as soon as you can because I would have loved to have done more hiking, kayaking or any of the outdoor trips that the Wilderness Program has because it is a great way to get outside and explore Vermont.  Even with having an  incredibly busy few weeks with homework, classes and rugby being able to get outside both hiking and kayaking with some off campus trips such as the one to the Shelburne Museum has made for some great times this semester! The fall weather and foliage doesn't last forever so it's been great to get outside before the colors run out!

Facebook: Candice Kalil 

Twitter: @CandiceLeeMary

Instagram: candicekalil31

Being a Frugal Fanny is Social Acceptable

No matter which way you look at it its hard to find college to be quote on quote "cheap". It is just how it is these days, getting an education is expensive but the money you invest ultimately can land you with a degree to benefit your career. The coined term "broke college kid" is used frequently for a reason. Not only is it the tuition bills all college students pay, but also that point when you are either partially or fully independent and trying to stand on your own two feet financially. Totally normal, but if you feel like you are always breaking your wallet don't stress you aren't alone. A cool thing is that when you are a student, there are LOADS of discounts that you can get! People and businesses understand when paying for your education you try to cut back in other areas.  For an enormous list of places you get discounts at take a look at:

70 Things You Can Score With Your Student ID

There are tons of different deals you can find! These can come from chain stores as well as local businesses. For example, this past weekend a couple of friends and I went to Shelburne Farms (next post so tune in!) and even though we had connections to get free tickets, they have a 50% discount to students who show their ID. That being on the local scale, larger businesses also offer discounts. There is a 10% discount at Charlotte Russe and other clothing stores such as H&M and even J.Crew. Charlotte Russe gets me every time with their 2 for $10 scarves, feeding my scarf addiction.

True Life: I'm Addicted to Scarves

For all you tech-y's and are loyal to Apple, they offer $200 off on a MacBook, and up to $30 on Ipad when you show your college ID. So for those of you looking to buy a new laptop before heading to school, maybe wait until just after the first day to save you a few bucks! There's plenty of dining places that offer discounts such as Subway and McDonald's offering 10% off. And the most popular deal of all, Amazon never fails to help students out with their Free 2 day shipping for Students program. So don't fret if you are crunching and trying to spend less because there are plenty of place out to help students, being a frugal fanny is absolutely alright!

 Facebook: Candice Kalil
Twitter: @CandiceLeeMary
Instagram: candicekalil31

Taking on Europe: Round 2

When applying to schools one of my deal breakers was a study abroad program. I didn't walk into college knowing exactly where I wanted to go but after going to France and Spain on a 10 day trip my senior year of high school, I knew if I got the chance to go abroad again I wasn't going to pass up the opportunity. Popping around Google, Study Abroad Catalogs and of course Pinterest I did some research and decided I wanted to go back to Spain. On my senior year trip I spent a quick 3 days in Barcelona and thought it would be awesome to go back and get to see more! I decided to apply to study abroad in Granada, Spain because of its programs, southern location and area. I am not a city person and as much as I loved Barcelona, I knew a setting like Granada was more for me. I chose to go spring semester not only because of rugby’s fall season but also because of the seasons there. Hey if I can sneak in one European ski day, I will be happier than a clam at high tide! With my program I get to even travel around Spain and get to visit some pretty cool places:

 ·     Alhambra — One of Granada’s main sites with the world-famous Patio de los Leones and the Salon de Embajadores and visit the colorful Generalife garden

      ·     The Moorish neighborhood of the Albaicin - from 10^th century Muslim Spain where there are winding, narrow streets lead to quaint plazas with apparently gorgeous views of the Alhambra and the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

       ·    The Cathedral and Royal Chapel of Granada, burial place of Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand

       ·     Hike in the Sierra Nevada mountains

       ·     Weekend visit to Morocco, yea Morocco. Enough said.

       ·     A visit to Toledo, Spain with its historic synagogues and cathedrals 

       ·     Gibraltar, Seville, Córdoba: Weekend trip to Gibraltar, Seville, Córdoba to see some pretty awesome places such as the Rock of Gibraltar, Europa Point and Lighthouse and St.Michael’s Caves. That’s only Gibralter too, its gonna be a jam packed 3 days!

       ·     Anywhere and everywhere else I can hopefully visit! France and Ireland if I can!

(via)

So you are probably wondering how planning for studying abroad is going. Saint Mike’s is actually pretty on top of the study abroad program and through applying with AIFS (American Institute for Foreign Study) I was able to get a lot of the tedious paperwork in early. From my senior year trip my passport was already set to go, and I plan to go to Boston soon to pick up my VISA. All the technical stuff is coming together, now it’s just getting mentally prepared to live in a foreign country for almost 5 months. How on earth do you pack 5 months’ worth of stuff into one or two suitcases? Granted I am not a savvy shopper and have a ton of clothes but it’s going to be interesting! I think I will just cross that bridge when I get there. Either way I can’t begin to describe how excited I am for the opportunity and to get to go back to Europe. January 4^th: Let the adventure begin!

For more information on Study Abroad, click the Study Abroad tab on the SMC website!

We're From Barcelona - I'm From Barcelona

 Facebook: Candice Kalil 
Twitter: @CandiceLeeMary
Instagram: candicekalil31 

SOS: Exam Time

Happy Monday & welcome to the month of October where we at about Week 6 or 7 of the semester, you know what that means.....

EXAM TIME

The big in CAPS red letters might intimidate you but don't fret just yet. Exams tend to come either spaced out for some people or just all at once for those lucky folks. Whether you have ample time to study or feel like you have no time at all, here are some helpful ways to get prepared for those exams:

1. Sleep - Sleep is without a doubt one of the best things for your brain. Pulling an all-nighter might sound like a great idea but you retain more information by getting a good night's sleep rather than cramming for your exam that following morning.

2. Groups - Meeting up with people and bouncing ideas off each other is a great way to not only review information but pick up on stuff you might have missed.

3. Plan Ahead - You might feel the time crunch but even if it is going over a few note cards each night, studying before the night before the exam helps you retain more information

4. Stay Organized - All those notes, note cards and study sheets might seem hectic to keep track of but try keeping a folder or grab a paper clip to keep everything together

5. Study Alone Also! - Having a studying mix helps the best! Studying in groups is a great way to bounce ideas off of one another but remember you need some time for you yourself to focus on the material

6. Shake it Off - Shake off the pre-exam nerves! My R.A. (resident assistant) my freshman year gave me a good piece of advice before Exam Week. Remember than even if you feel overwhelmed and that you don't remember everything, if you have been present in class every day, taken notes and paid attention you already know more than you think you do!

Take a deep breath and don't leave everything to the last minute! Review your material and study hard it will pay off!

Shake It Off - Taylor Swift 

 Facebook: Candice Kalil
Twitter: @CandiceLeeMary
Instagram: candicekalil31